820 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HIST. SOCIETY, Vol. XXVI II. 
white to a decided cream or pale cafe-au-lait ; most eggs are a pale 
cream with a distinctly grey tint about them. As a rule they are 
rather dull coloured eggs even when quite fresh, and they are never 
very bright in tint or highly glossed. The texture is close and fine, the 
surface often much pitted with tiny pores, but at other times quite 
Jevoid of these. 
In shape they vary from sub-pyriform to long ovals, but 9 eggs out 
of 10 are well pointed at the smaller end. 
Fifty eggs average 35 '5 X 26-2 mm., whilst the extremes are, maxima 
38‘7x26‘8mm. and 37 3x28’3 mm. ; minima 33'0 X 26 0 mm. 
and 34: • 1 X 24 ■ 7 mni. 
The hen is said not to be a very close sitter unless the eggs are far 
advanced in incubation when she will sit on until the intruder almost 
touches her. When the eggs are fresh she sneaks off quietly whilst 
the enemy is still far away. The cock-bird is said to wander about 
close to the vicinity of the nest and to assist in the care of the chicks 
as soon as they are hatched. . 
General Habits . — The See-see, even more than the Chukor is a 
bird of barren hills, bare broken ground and wastes of boulders, stones 
and sun-beaten soil. In forest they are never found and in bush jungle 
but seldom, on the other hand in the early mornings and late after- 
noons they frequent grass lands and crops for the purpose of feeding. 
In the middle of the day, however, they leave them for the shelter 
of the ravines and broken ground, generally seeking the protection 
from the sun afforded by the larger boulders and rocks, or by some 
deep crack, but occasionally lying up in a clump of bushes or dead 
grass. They seem to be curiously addicted to deserted stone buildings 
and ruins. Repeatedly they have been rei^orted as common about 
mins in Persia and Afghanistan, and Hume also refers to this trait. 
He writes : — 
“ They are generally seen running on the bare rocks 
or pecking about the droppings of cattle on the mountain 
paths ; but at Tobar — some 2,000 feet high, the rainy season 
residence of the miners, who, during the rest of the year, reside 
in the Khewra Gorge (some 700 feet above the sea) and work 
the neighbouring Salt Mines, — I saw several pairs rimning about 
the flat roofs of the houses. The males may often be seen perched 
on some rocky point, and the female, in the spring, though less 
commonly seen in exposed positions, will always be found close 
to her mate. They run very rapidly and fly smartly, always, 
if possible, down hiU.” 
Hume did not consider them much of a game-bird, though he 
records shooting eleven and a half brace in a day. At the same time a 
morning with the See-see may give much pleasure and enjoyment 
and is a welcome change from an office chair and everlasting 
report- writing. 
